The Times of London Singing Bed Stuy's Praises
It sounds like London Times writer James Doran got quite a deal on his Bedford Stuyvesant brownstone. Given how well-preserved all the details were, $600,000 sounds undermarket to us. And what a great provenance! The story he tells of the former owner, a brewery heiress, is great stuff. The Heath Ledger angle might be a…
It sounds like London Times writer James Doran got quite a deal on his Bedford Stuyvesant brownstone. Given how well-preserved all the details were, $600,000 sounds undermarket to us. And what a great provenance! The story he tells of the former owner, a brewery heiress, is great stuff. The Heath Ledger angle might be a bit of a stretch but, hey, Doran’s at least setting the newspaper-reading public straight about the neighborhood which has caught more than its share of bad press over the years:
Bed-Stuy is more than just an incredible investment opportunity for an adventurous property speculator: it is one of the most fascinating neighbourhoods of New York, steeped in history and close to Manhattan’s sleepless streets, yet no tourist ever sets foot here.
Local blog Bed Stuy Gateway had this to say about the article: Is The Times doing a Lenten penance for the smackdown of an article it published on June 25, 2005 in which reporter Dominic Rushe called Bed-Stuy “a horrible and inconvenient area of Brooklyn with some lovely buildings and a nasty crack habit”?
Big Apple’s Core Appeal [London Times]
The Brits Are Coming [Bed Stuy Gateway]
Yes but what of the children—if the streets are not save for our children whats the point of living there?? — thats all im saying. Because if some of the people who live their (white or black or all these british who are moving in like its the revolutionary war allover again!) do not respect each others boundries then no one is safe from the drug pushers and hooker’s. For example last time I was in Bed Stey one of them asked me if I wanted hand release. Plus there was litter every where. Not that they cant clean it up. But that will not happen until people get together and decide to purchase some garbage receptacles. But they will have to chain them to a pole so they dont get kncoked over or stolen (these days theyll need Kryptonite locks!). Maybe it will be diferent five years from now though…that seems to be what the consensis is, right??
alyndea, thank you for talking about the elephant in the living room. CrownHeightsProud mentioned it somewhere above. I feel certain of one thing: As the first white man on my block four years ago (as far as I know), I’m certain that I am safer than if I were the first black man in an all white neighborhood. Even today. In America.
David, I did mean that you seem to be an empiricist. Meaning capable of proof by verification, in our case refering to measurements made by the police or the census bureau. Mostly I am the same way. For example, in medicine, show me the double blind studies done over time with a large sample before you try and sell me ginko to enhance my memory. I’ll put aside our nitpicking about spelling and misreading posters names and say you are right about what the crime stats say about places. I’m just saying that what the crime stats say don’t always translate to what’s on the ground in this block or that. I’m now invested in Crown Heights and I’m going to say the good things first. Especially about my block. Love ya!
The most important issue that you guys seem to be trying to avoid is the fact that a lot of (not all) white people are intimidated by black people, and do not feel comfortable in a neighborhood where they become the minorities.
The fact of the matter is, one can find a variety of drugs near NYU, Lower East Side and East Village. There are many drug dealers and people using in those areas.
If Bed Stuy was full of white people using and selling drugs I think you all would be less intimidated. Even though Bed Stuy and other black neighborhoods were ravaged by drugs, Manhattan has always been the center of the drug and sex trade.
I’m not accusing anyone of being racist, nor do I think any of you are. The old white culture which believes that one should only live with black people only when forced to by pricing or the Supreme Court still persists. High crime and drugs did not stop white people from moving into SOHO or the East Village when they were cesspools. Why should it be any different for Bed Stuy? (Not that Bed Stuy is a cesspool) Why don’t some of those who say, “I was robbed or beaten in Bed Stuy†do what all the other gentrifies have done in the other nabes; get engaged in the community, police, institutions. Talk to your neighbor’s even if the look intimidating, they might be more afraid of you then you are of them.
Well said, Oh Lord.
That reminds me that when I said I knew all kinds of people on my old BS block, I should have included the characters that would have horrified some people: the petty thief who would break into people’s cars (and promptly be arrested, as everyone knew it was him), the very disturbed Vietnam vet who looked homeless and had a masters in lit from Syracuse University, who died too young, another alchoholic vet who is one of the most intelligent people I know. The really pitiful addict/hooker on the corner, and the addict who used to try to mooch off me every day, and was always trying to sell me boosted merchandise with the sensormatics still hanging off of the garment. But we also had a Korean War vet who was in one of the highly decorated,all black regiments, as well as a well known jazz musician, one of the oldest black sandhogs, who helped to build the subways. We had a fireman who was at the Towers on 9/11, several teachers, a couple of Wall Streeters and at least 2 lawyers, a fashion designer,a plumber and ex-con electrician, 2 real estate brokers, administraters, interior home furnishings designer, and at least three people that I know of who owned at least 10 brownstones each, all over Brooklyn. Not to mention students, and yes, a few usless layabouts. What a bunch! I always wanted to write a play or book. We looked out for each other in our own ways, and you couldn’t go down the street without being greeted by several people.
Oh – I forgot the 90 something lady who used to be a madame back during the roaring 20’s. She also died a few years ago, but I hear she had stories!
I just went back and reread JD’s article.
This is his closing statement –
“Serious crime rates have dropped by more than 65 per cent since 1993, but there are still robberies, burglaries and the occasional shooting. And as with every inner-city area, there are some streets it is not sensible to walk down late at night.”
Reads pretty close to what we have all been saying in this thread.
If you talk to any long-term resident of Bed Stuy they will tell you the same thing. For all of the negatives that they neighborhood had (crime, drugs, poverty) it also had and continues to have a lot of positives. For every crack house there were five houses that were owner occupied. For every crazy stickup kid there was a grandmother that would bring you a bulletin from the church if you didn’t make it last Sunday. For every crazy politician there was a neighborhood activist that would host a block party or sponsor a kid’s team. For the last fifty years its been a neighborhood of contradictions, but for a lot of us it was, is and always will be home. We welcome folks like James who can see what the neighborhood is and apreciate it. For everyone else, please don’t move here. The residents of Bed Stuy have never wanted it to be Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope. We’re happy with our brownstones, our churches, our problems and our neighbors who continue to remind us that the things that separate the haves from the have nots are sometimes small and insignificant.
Those of us who grew up here and made it through unscathed are proud of ourselves. And we have some pretty nice houses to boot. You guys can have the Heights, the Slope, Williamsburg and the Upper East Side. I’ll keep my little brownstone in the ‘hood. After all, its home.
Hal – I think attacking for someone posting anon is dumber than for spelling – I was referencing the post by the name it was posted under – “anon”
I think you mean clearly not an empericist
Certainly quality of life is much more difficult to emperically determine than crime, so I wouldnt dare to critic someone saying [insert nabe]is great b/c [insert subjective reason here].
And certainly everyone makes their own empirical judgement waying the statistical with the subjective/anecdotal – in my case as I noted above, I live in a part of PS (btw 4th and 5th) that has certain issues (crime, trash, drugs) to a degree I find distasteful but I also have an incredible place with lots of outdoor space and some great neighbors – so I made my choice based on both the objective and subjective and I am overal happy – but if you hear me say “Oh 5th Ave is clean all nabes have trash flying around like that and I hardly see it” – please feel free to lampoon my propoganda.
I did like Hal’s comment about how the quality of life is anecdotal. My experience is totally anecdotal but I was miserable in Brooklyn Heights and love living in Crown Heights North. I think everyone finds their niche.
Alright! Our first heavy-duty discussion of a serious topic where everyone stayed cool. Thanks, JD, for all your input. Thanks, everyone, for that matter. Carry on.